Nigeria, June 20 -- On paper, it looked like a mismatch. Iran is not only one of the oldest and most established places in the Persian Gulf, but it is also at least 75 times the size of Israel, and with a population nine to ten times larger. Size for size, it's a modern-day David and Goliath match-up, with ancient history squarely on Iran's side.

At the height of its reign, especially under Cyrus the Great (545-525 BC), the Persian Empire, modern-day Iran, extended as far as Egypt, and its military might was unassailable. In more contemporary times, Iran defended itself against the aggression of Saddam Hussein during the eight-year Iran-Iraq War.

Sudden Tide

Yet, since 12 June, when Israel struck Iran's nuclear site and killed at least...